Method of making a dispensing closure

ABSTRACT

A dispensing closure including a compression molded plastic closure having a base wall and a peripheral skirt having threads for engaging a container. An opening is formed in the base wall and a compression molded liner is molded in situ in the closure and includes a radial liner forming portion on the inner surface of the base wall of the closure. An integral nozzle is compression molded with the liner and extends axially through the opening in the base wall. One or more slits in the nozzle define a dispensing opening through which the contents of the container can be dispensed by squeezing the container. In another form, the dispensing closure is provided with a liner such that a syringe needle is used to penetrate an elastomeric wall for removal of the liquid contents of the package.

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 08/746,521 filedNov. 12, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,567.

This invention relates to dispensing closures and a method making suchclosures.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In dispensing closures, it is common to form a closure with an openingand insert a resilient nozzle in the closure. Such a closure requiresthe separate manufacture of each of these components as well asassociated components for retaining the nozzle.

Among the objectives of the present invention are to provide adispensing closure that requires only two components, namely, a closureand a combined liner and nozzle; which dispensing closure is made bycompression molding a closure and thereafter compression molding acharge of plastic in the closure to form the combined closure, liner andnozzle; wherein the method involves a minimum number of steps; andwherein the control of the tolerances of the dispensing closure is madeeasier.

In accordance with the invention, the dispensing closure comprises aplastic closure having a base wall and a peripheral skirt is compressionmolded and has threads for engaging a container. A compression moldedliner is formed in situ in the closure and includes a radial linerforming portion on the inner surface of the base wall of the closure. Anintegral nozzle is compression molded with the liner and extends axiallythrough the opening in the base wall. One or more slits in the nozzledefine a dispensing opening through which the contents of the containercan be dispensed by squeezing the container. The invention is alsoapplicable to making a closure for a package wherein a syringe needle isused to penetrate an elastomeric wall for removal of the liquid contentsof the package.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the dispensing closure embodying theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the dispensing closure.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the dispensing closure.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale of thedispensing closure shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the plastic closure portion of thedispensing closure.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the plastic closure portion afterit has been compression molded.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the plastic closure portion shown in FIG.6.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale of theplastic closure portion shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is an inverted view of the plastic closure portion after it hasbeen compression molded.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of an apparatus for trimming the cull formedin the plastic closure portion to form an opening through the plasticclosure portion.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of an apparatus for compression molding acharge of plastic in place in the plastic closure.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of an apparatus for compression molding thecharge in the plastic closure to define a combined liner and nozzle inthe plastic closure.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of an apparatus for slitting the nozzle todefine a dispensing closure.

FIG. 14 is an inverted view of a closure in a holder.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of a modified form of an apparatus fortrimming the cull from a plastic closure portion shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a sectional view of a modified apparatus for molding a chargeof plastic in place in the plastic closure.

FIG. 17 is a sectional view of a modified apparatus for compressionmolding the charge shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a sectional view of a modified form of apparatus for slittingthe nozzle.

FIG. 19 is a sectional view of a modified form of closure before forminga liner therein.

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the closure shown in FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a sectional exploded view of the closure after the topsection is severed.

FIG. 22 is a sectional view of the closure with the liner compressionmolded in the closure.

FIG. 23 is a sectional view of the closure and liner shown in FIG. 22with the top section inverted and positioned to form a cap over theliner.

FIG. 24 is a sectional view of a modified form of closure and linerwhich includes a removable top section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, in accordance with the invention, the dispensingclosure 20 embodying the invention comprises a compression moldedplastic closure 22 and a combined liner and nozzle 24 compression moldedin place in the plastic closure 22. The plastic closure 22 comprises abase wall 26 having an opening 28 therein and an integral peripheralskirt 30. The skirt 30 includes means on the inner surface thereof forengaging complementary means on a squeezable plastic container, themeans herein shown comprising threads 32. The plastic closure is made ofplastic such as polypropylene. The combined liner and nozzle 24 is madeof highly resilient elastomeric material.

The combined liner and nozzle comprises an annular liner portion 34engaging the inner surface 36 of the base wall 26 of the plastic closure22. The combined liner and nozzle 24 includes an integral nozzle portion38 which extends axially through the opening 28 in spaced relation to acylindrical annular axial portion 40 which defines the opening in theplastic closure 22. Nozzle portion 38 includes an integral axial wall 42extending from the liner portion 34 and an integral convex dome portion44 having one or more slits 46 therethrough which open upon squeezingthe container on which the dispensing closure 20 is positioned. As shownin FIG. 4, the liner portion 34 preferably includes an integralperipheral axial portion 48 extending along a short cylindrical portion50 on a shoulder 52 at the juncture of the base wall 26 and skirt 30. Inaddition, the liner portion 34 preferably includes an integral annularbead 54 on the upper surface thereof which engages a complementarysurface at the juncture of the axial portion 40 and base wall 26.

In accordance with the invention, the dispensing closure is made byfirst compression molding the closure 22 and thereafter compressionmolding the combined liner and dispensing nozzle 24 in the closure 22.In order to simplify the method of manufacture, the plastic closure 22is formed with an integral disk or cull 60 connected to the base wall 26by a thin annular web 62 (FIGS. 5-8).

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the disk 60 is removed by inverting theplastic closure 22 and placing it in a holder 64 which holds the plasticclosure 22 in position for moving a cutting tool 66 having an annularcutting edge 68 for severing the disk 60 and web 62 from the remainderof the closure 22.

Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the plastic closure 22 is then placed in aholder 70 for receiving the closure 22 which includes a tool 72extending into the axial portion 40 and defining a cavity 74 forreceiving a charge of molten plastic P. A compression molding tool 76 isthen moved axially into the apparatus 70 to compression mold thecombined liner and nozzle 24. The periphery of the tool 76 engages thethreads 32 on the closure 22 and the shoulder 52 to close the cavity 74.The end of the tool 76 is configured with an annular surface 78 forforming the liner portion and an axial portion 80 for forming the nozzleportion. Referring to FIG. 13, the dispensing closure is then placed ina holder 82 where a base tool 84 contacts the nozzle portion and acutting tool 86 is moved axially to cut one or more slits 46 in thenozzle portion.

In a preferred mode, as shown in FIGS. 14-18, a single holder 100 isprovided and after the closure 22 is compression molded, it is used as aholder for the compression molded closure in performing the successivesteps of severing the disc, compression molding the combined liner andnozzle 24 in the closure and forming the slits 46. Preferably, theholder 100 is one of a plurality of holders moved in an endless path, asby mounting on rotating turret which is moved past adjacent successivestations including a disc severing station; compression molding stationfor forming the liner and nozzle and a slitting station.

The compression molding is preferably by the method and apparatusdescribed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/135,829 filed Oct. 14,1993, and Ser. No. 08/135,828 incorporated herein by reference filedOct. 14, 1993.

Referring to FIGS. 13 and 18, the tool 84 and cutting tool 86 can bereversed such that the cutting tool 86a is moved upwardly rather thandownwardly and tool 84 a is stationary.

In a modified form shown in FIGS. 19-23, the closure 22 a is molded withtop section 60 a that comprises a base wall 102 and an integral wall 104molded integrally with the cylindrical axial portion 40 a. A weakenedline 106 is formed and extends circumferentially at the juncture of thewall 102 and axial portion 40 a. The top section 60 a is severed fromthe closure 22 a along weakened line 106 separating the wall 102 fromaxial wall portion 40 a. The liner and nozzle 44 a is compression moldedas described above. The top section 60 a can be inverted and used as acap (FIG. 23) with the cylindrical wall 104 extending into the spacebetween the axial wall portion 40 a and the liner and the base wall 102engaging the upper wall 44 a of the liner 24 a.

In the modified form shown in FIG. 24, the dispensing closure 20 bincludes a plastic closure 22 b which has a shortened axial wall portion40 b connected by a weakened line 106 b to the cylindrical wall 104 b ofthe top section 60 b, such that upon severing by the user, the topsection 60 b it can be used as a removable cap.

Although the invention has been described as being directed to making adispensing closure, it is also applicable to making a closure for apackage wherein a syringe needle is used to penetrate an elastomericwall for removal of the liquid contents of the package.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided a dispensing closurecomprises a plastic closure having a base wall with an openingtherethrough and a peripheral skirt having means such as threads forengaging a container. A compression molded liner is formed in situ inthe closure and includes a radial liner forming portion on the innersurface of the base wall of the closure. An integral nozzle iscompression molded with the liner and extends axially through theopening in the base wall. One or more slits in the nozzle define adispensing opening through which the contents of the container can bedispensed by squeezing the container. The invention is also applicableto making a closure for a package wherein a syringe needle is used topenetrate an elastomeric wall for removal of the liquid contents of thepackage.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of making a dispensing closure thatcomprises the steps of: (a) providing a plastic closure having a basewall with a central opening surrounded by an annular wall that extendsaxially outwardly from said base wall, and a peripheral skirt thatextends from said base wall oppositely of said annular wall, and (b)compression molding a combined liner and nozzle of resilient plasticmaterial in situ within said closure such that said combined liner andnozzle has a transverse portion that engages said closure base wallwithin said skirt, an annular axial portion that extends into saidopening within said annular wall, and a dispensing opening in saidannular axial portion.
 2. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein saidstep (b) is such that an axially oriented face of said transverseportion of said combined liner and nozzle engages an axially orientedundersurface of said closure base wall, and a radially outwardlyoriented face of said transverse portion extends along a radiallyinwardly oriented surface of said closure.
 3. The method set forth inclaim 2 wherein at least part of said annular axial portion of saidcombined linear and nozzle is spaced radially inwardly from said annularwall within said annular wall and is unsecured to said annular wall. 4.The method set forth in claim 2 wherein said closure base wall, saidtransverse portion of said combined linear and, nozzle, saidundersurface and said axially oriented face are all flat.